Should you duck and cover or just go about your business? The Red Cross's new tornado app will tell you the difference.

What does it do?

Gives you location-based tornado alerts from the NOAA, among other useful tips and tools for severe weather preparedness.

Why do we like it?

It has plenty of resources to keep you safe when there's a twister coming. There's a toolkit with a flashlight, an alarm, and a strobe light in case of a power outage or emergency rave. You can easily let your family know you're okay with one-touch "I'm safe" texting. You're not SOL if cell service goes down, because the app also has pre-loaded tips in the event of a massive storm. If things get really bad, the app lists open Red Cross shelters nearby. The best-case scenario is that all of this is irrelevant, because you never get caught in an actual tornado. But if nature does come roaring down on you, you'd better be as prepared as possible. [RedCross via AL.com]